The Life of Ravenpaw
by Forest Of Secrets
Summary: You all know what happened to Ravenpaw. But how did he feel- and what happened after the clans left?
1. Chapter 1: When It All Started

**This is my first chapter and my first story- I hope you like it! **

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Chapter 1

This is my story. I am Ravenpaw, formerly of Thunderclan and now a loner, but still faithful in Starclan and the Clans of the lake and forest. Listen to my journey and feel what I felt all through my life. All my troubles started the day Redtail was killed in the battle with Riverclan for the territory known as Sunningrocks. The battle for Sunningrocks would never end. Not until there were no cats left in this forest.

Redtail quickly told me to hide in a crack in a rock until it was safe to creep out of the bushes and flee from the battle. I was about to run but through the leaves of the bush in front of me I saw Redtail attack a long-legged grey Riverclan warrior, Stonefur. But then a dark reddish brown tom came out of nowhere and pulled Redtail off Stonefur. I thought they were both going to leap on Redtail but then Stonefur fled from the battle. Redtail spat at the other cat, Oakheart and they argued, both hissing and spitting at each other. Then I heard the words "No Thunderclan warrior will ever harm that warrior." come from Oakheart's mouth and Redtail's face was the exact replica of how I was feeling, which was very confused. But then Redtail flew at Oakheart, knocking him off his paws under a rocky overhang. I could hear them snarling at each other, and then suddenly the rock fell on top of them! I saw Oakheart's tail sticking out from the rocks and then I heard Tigerclaw behind me. He told me to go back to camp and I started to leave when I realised that I should go back to check if Redtail was ok. When I got to the rocks, I saw Redtail come charging out from the fallen rock and ran straight into Tigerclaw. This is the bit I see in my dreams every night and wake up screeching. Tigerclaw pounced on Redtail and pinned him down. Tigerclaw sank his teeth into Redtail's throat and I ran back to camp as fast as I could. I crashed through the bushes blindly as I sped into camp. I didn't know what was going on around me and I scrambled on Highrock with Bluestar as she called me up. I turned to the Clan, my chest heaving in the effort to speak. I only heard my voice speak the words as I stood on the Highrock. "Redtail is dead!" I told the Clan what had happened, up to where Redtail and Oakheart were fighting. Suddenly I felt the world spin and I crashed to the ground as a black wave of unconsciousness crashed over me.

When I awoke I was lying underneath Highrock, and a bright ginger tom who I had never seen before was talking to a grey tom, Graypaw.

"Has he gone?" I mumbled. Graypaw trotted towards me.

"Who? Tigerclaw? Yep, he's gone." The other cat padded up next to Graypaw. He looked sleek and well fed compared to the other apprentices and warriors.

"Hi, there-" the ginger tom began to speak but he was cut off sharply by Spottedleaf, our medicine cat, who was leaning over me.

"Go away, both of you!," Spottedleaf protested, "How am I meant to help this cat with all the interruptions!" She flicked her tail at the two cats and pushed in front of me so I couldn't see them any more.

"Come on then, Firepaw, I'll show you around." Graypaw's voice was muffled by Spottedleaf as he mewed to the ginger tom before poking his head around the young medicine cat.

"See you later Ravenpaw." I watched them pad away across the clearing and then I turned to Spottedleaf, who was looking at my injured shoulder and leg.

"Who is Firepaw and why have I never seen him before?" I asked her. She looked up and replied.

"He's new. He got here just before you came in. He used to be a kittypet but now he is a Thunderclan apprentice."

_A Thunderclan apprentice! But he was a kittypet!_

"But he was a kittypet!" I blurted out my last thought, shocked.

"He fought Longtail bravely and his collar broke. It was a sign and it proved his was no longer a kittypet," Spottedleaf replied calmly while plastering a poultice of herbs onto my leg. "You will have to stay in my den for a few more days until your leg heals properly, so you will miss some training." She continued and she helped me stagger to my feet and carefully walk over to the shady medicine den. When we got there I suddenly felt extremely tired and settled down to sleep in the nest of moss next to me, feeling Spottedleaf's warm tongue against my fur.

Tigerclaw haunted my dreams that night. The dark forest I was in was cold, and no stars were shining in the gloomy sky. I felt Tigerclaw's sharp teeth on my neck and his horrible breath stirring my fur. Slowly his teeth sank into my soft flesh and I was screaming, struggling for breath. Hot blood poured from my wounds, creating a sticky red tide that never seemed to end. I saw his blurry shape staring coldly down at me, merging into the dark, shadowy surroundings. The world crashed around me and then, suddenly, black. That's when I wake up. Always the same time, the same place. It never stops. The never ending fear. Tigerclaw.

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	2. Chapter 2: Hunting

Chapter 2

A few days later when I woke up my leg felt stiff and sore. I looked down at it I saw the dried herbs being removed carefully by Spottedleaf. I watched her thoughtfully and she spoke while she was working.

"You will need to stretch your leg this morning and then you can go back to your training." She slowly finished removing the herbs and I sat up in my nest, carefully trying to stand up. I readied my self for pain but amazingly I could put my weight on it easily. I tested my leg again and slowly walked towards the entrance of the medicine den.

"Can I go with Graypaw now?" I asked Spottedleaf as I poked my head outside the den to see Firepaw and Graypaw waiting for me. I started thinking about how Firepaw looked like any other Thunderclan apprentice as he talked calmly to Graypaw.

"Yes but be careful." Spottedleaf's voice cut sharply into my thoughts and I stepped out of the den and padded toward the cats waiting for me.

"Lets go, follow me." Graypaw meowed as we trudged towards the sandy hollow. When we arrived I sat quietly at the edge of the hollow, thinking about Tigerclaw while Greypaw played with the leaves happily, Firepaw watching.

"Cheer up, Ravenpaw!," Graypaw called to me and I looked up quickly. "I know you don't like training, but you're not usually this miserable!"

When he had finished I lifted my nose into the air and smelt Tigerclaw and Lionheart coming.

"I suppose I'm just worried about my shoulder getting hurt again." I mewed hastily and at that moment Tigerclaw and Lionheart emerged from the bushes.

"Warriors should suffer their pain silently," Tigerclaw growled at me, looking me straight in the eye. "You need to learn to hold your tongue."

I flinched and I dropped my eyes to the ground. My worst nightmare was standing right in front of me. My dream came whirling back to me but then Lionheart started to speak and I looked up thankfully.

"Today we are going to practice stalking. Now, there is a big difference between creeping up on a rabbit and creeping up on a mouse. Can any of you tell me why?"

I didn't want to anger Tigerclaw again so I held my tongue, and Firepaw looked as if he had no idea. Tigerclaw let out an impatient snort.

"Come on!" the dark warrior growled. I opened my mouth to speak when Graypaw answered.

"Because a rabbit will smell you before he sees you, but a mouse will feel your paw steps through the ground before he even smells you."

"Exactly Graypaw!," Lionheart nodded. "So what must you bear in mind while hunting mice?"

"Step lightly?" Firepaw suggested quickly, and Lionheart looked approvingly at him.

"Quite right, Firepaw. You must take all your weight into your haunches, so that your paws make to impact on the forest floor. Let's try it!"

I quickly slid into the hunting crouch, feeling quite pleased with myself.

"Nicely done, Graypaw!" Lionheart meowed and me and Graypaw started to stalk forward stealthily.

"Keep your rear down, Ravenpaw, you look like a duck!" Tigerclaw spat at me before turning to Firepaw. I flinched and tried to get lower down to the forest floor. I noticed Firepaw come down next to me and flinched again when Tigerclaw spat at him.

"Well, its obvious you've known nothing but kittypet softness!" He growled at Firepaw. "You stalk like a lumbering kittypet! Do you think dinner is going to come and lie down in your food dish and wait to be eaten?" I noticed Firepaw sit up quickly as he spoke and I kept moving forwards.

"His pace and forward movement will come later, but his crouch is perfectly balanced." I heard Lionheart meow.

"Which is better that Ravenpaw, I suppose," complained Tigerclaw and I looked up as he sent me a scornful look. "Even after two moons of training, you're still putting all your weight on your left side." I felt very dejected and kept my eyes down.

"His injury is bothering him, that's all!" I was very surprised when Firepaw came to my defence and looked up sharply. I saw Tigerclaw glare at Firepaw before speaking.

"Injuries are a fact of life. he should be able to adapt. Even you, Firepaw, have learned something this morning. If Ravenpaw picked up things as quickly as you, he'd be a credit to me instead of an embarrassment. Imagine being shown up by a kittypet!" he growled and spat angrily at me. Firepaw couldn't meet my eyes and I looked down at my paws.

"Well, I'm more lopsided than a one-legged badger," I heard Graypaw mew, and I watched him stagger comically across the clearing. "I think I'll have to stick to hunting stupid mice. They won't stand a chance. I shall just wander up to them and sit on them until they surrender."

"Concentrate, young Graypaw. This is no time for your jokes!" Lionheart, his mentor, mewed sternly. "Perhaps you might focus your mind better if you try out your stalking for real." I looked up at him brightly, sitting up eagerly next to Firepaw and Graypaw.

"I want each of you to try catching real prey. Ravenpaw, you look beside the Owltree. Graypaw, there might be something in that big bramble patch over there., And you, Firepaw follow the rabbit track over that rise; you'll find the dry bed of a winter stream. You may find something there." Lionheart flicked his tail, sending us off. I bounded away towards the Owltree, feeling more energised than I ever have in moons! Suddenly I caught a whiff of a mouse and got into my hunting crouch. I spotted it just below the Owltree, scuffling under some leaves. I stalked up to it slowly, and I could tell it had no idea I was there. I pounced. I caught it between my claws and quickly dealt the killing blow. I sent a silent prayer to Starclan and returned to the hollow where Lionheart, Tigerclaw, Firepaw and Graypaw were waiting. Greypaw had caught a vole and Firepaw had caught a mouse. I went back to camp with my tail and head held high. I felt that nothing could be better than this.


End file.
